OMER KLEIN

"OMER KLEIN SHOWS WITH HIS SPEED, TOUCH, REFINEMENT AND CREATIVITY, THAT HE BELONGS TO THE SMALL GROUP OF MASTER PIANISTS” – Süddeutsche Zeitung

Pianist and Composer Omer Klein’s music is “borderless” (New York Times) in its organic assimilation of widely diverse sources of inspiration, as he continuously “pushes mainstream Jazz concepts into the future” (Time Out New York). A prolific performer and composer, Klein has released 10 albums as a soloist, and published over 100 original compositions.

An exclusive Warner Music artist, Klein has made five recordings for the label so far. Sleepwalkers (2017) is a trio exploration of themes related to society in the information age, for which the Omer Klein Trio has won the 2018 ECHO award. This was followed by Radio Mediteran (2019), adding analog synthesizers and percussion to the classic trio format, thus creating “a very contemporary, forward-looking album full of subtle grooves and strong melodies” (Hamburger Abendblatt). Klein’s third effort for Warner Music, Personal Belongings (2021), is an interwoven solo piano / trio program which includes one of his most loved compositions, “Najara”, as well as his renowned, poignant rendition of “What A Wonderful World”.

2023 saw Klein at one of his creative peaks: He released his 4th album on Warner, Life & Fire, marking his trio’s 10th anniversary; composed and performed the widely acclaimed score for the Dance/Theater piece 10 Odd Emotions at  Schauspiel Frankfurt; premiered his first symphonic project, an evening-long program of his compositions arranged for trio and orchestra; and released his 5th album for Warner by the end of the year, the intimate solo piano set, Season Bright.

For his 2023 activities, Klein received two nominations for the Deutscher Jazzpreis, in the “Piano/Keyboards” and “Live Act of the Year” categories.

Klein’s concert appearances have been widely praised. He has performed as soloist, composer and band leader at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Swing Hall Tokyo, Berliner Philharmonie, Wiener Konzerthaus, Elbphilharmonie, Alte Oper Frankfurt, Bremen Musikfest, Dresdner Musikfestspiele, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival and many more.

With bassist Haggai Cohen Milo and drummer Amir Bresler, Klein formed the Omer Klein Trio in 2013. The trio performs Klein’s compositions and tours extensively. Their debut recording, Fearless Friday (2015) is considered “one of the most rewarding piano trio releases of recent years” (All About Jazz).

Klein’s collaboration with Mandolin star Avi Avital has been celebrated as a creative meeting of the minds. This includes Klein improvising new movements for pieces by J.S.Bach performed by Avital. The same goes for Klein’s collaboration with the Aris Quartett, Shake It, for which he composed and arranged music for piano and string quartet; his arrangement for Wayne Shorter’s “Oriental Folk Song” was nominated for the Deutscher Jazzpreis 2023.

Other collaborations include Klein’s project with the NDR Big Band; his duo with classical percussionist Alexej Gerassimez in which they explore Stravinsky; a free-flowing duo with trumpeter Sebastian Studnitzky; and more. Klein is an artist always on the quest to expand his horizons and allow his music to grow and develop.

“One of the most fascinating artists that have emerged from this country in the last decade” (City Mouse Tel Aviv), Omer Klein’s roots in Israeli music are heard loud and clear. He composed songs or performed with iconic singers like Arik Einstein, Gidi Gov, Yehudit Ravitz and Rona Kenan. He is a regular presence at the Red Sea Jazz Festival and the Tel Aviv Jazz Festival and is “broadening the country’s musical horizons.” (Haaretz).

Omer Klein was born in Israel in 1982 and grew up in Netanya. He is the son of Israeli-born parents, and the grandchild of immigrants from Tunisia, Libya and Hungary. Klein began playing keyboard instruments at 5, turning his focus to the piano at 13, while composing and improvising from a young age. He studied at the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts in Givatayim, before moving to the US as the recipient of a scholarship from the New England Conservatory in Boston, where he studied jazz piano with Danilo Perez and Ran Blake, and classical piano with Alexander Korsantia. In 2005 Klein moved to New York, where he continued his studies privately under Fred Hersch. Since 2009 he is based in Germany. He currently resides in Frankfurt with his girlfriend, the actress Viola Pobitschka, and their three children.

Omer Klein is a Steinway Artist.

YOUTUBE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPvK-dYNoGE

TED TALK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU_-bvyqSrI&t=722s

WEBSITE

omerklein.com